A People’s Friendly Media – To Straighten The Real Estate Mess in
Uttarakhand
It is most unfortunate that, Dehra Dun which was
once a haven for school children, retired and peace loving people had to yield
to the demands and pressures of the times we live in, ever since Uttarakhand
was carved out from Uttar Pradesh, in 1999 – 2000. That, Dehra Dun, owing to
its available infrastructure, proximity to New Delhi and existing communication
centres, was designated as its interim capital; became the final nail in the
coffin of its peace, tranquillity, small town culture, a rather laid back life
style and bungalows with lichi and mango trees growing in the compound. The
visionless government of the newly created state, crowded the limited
infrastructure and roads of the city by establishing and locating its working
and residential trappings within the municipal limits, thereby burdening the
capacity of all civic amenities to the distress of its growing population. Even
if Dehra Dun was all that the government of the time was able to look at for
its state capital then and being cash strapped in the initial years of its
formation; the political consideration to identify Gairsain as its permanent
capital was a subterfuge that has pushed the city beyond the threshold of a
virtual implosion. Instead of creating a new satellite city in the surrounding
vicinity of Dehra Dun to develop and accommodate the requirements of a state
capital, the existing city got stuffed with more and more of everything, under
the pretext of it being only a temporary arrangement and therefore not prudent
to overtly spend unnecessarily on, as it was only temporary.
The city was soon seized by the huge opportunity to
cater to the demands of the youth, Nandan Nilekani’s demographic dividend, and
exponentially developed on its existing secondary school academic ground swell
and potential, in the pattern of Pune and Bangalore, with lush swathes of
orchards and agricultural land getting appropriated for more residential
schools, deemed universities, colleges and institutes of learning and technical
skills. This necessitated extensive construction activity, which put more and
more concrete and iron on ground, with buildings going both horizontal and
vertical. The presence of these institutions of learning mostly built and run
by those who are far removed from education and have very little understanding
of anything which is mentally empowering, lured a large migrant population of students
from the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, in addition to what is already
there. More hotels, dwelling units in multi storied buildings, shopping malls,
cinema halls, restaurants, service sector establishments and ancillary
facilities followed, thus putting a huge strain on the congested spaces, roads
and civil amenities. River beds have been reclaimed and unauthorised permanent
/ temporary constructions, which house the poor who have come from far and near
in search of making a living and finding work in the unorganized sector is a
reality, which is both sad and resentful. Garbage and polybags spilling out
from the dumping bins installed in the city, is not only a great health hazard
with its stench and germs breeding on a 24 x 7 mode, but also a disgusting
sight to behold. The daily traffic chaos, which continues to prevail at the
crossings in commercial and residential areas alike, is most stressful and a
cause of immense environmental pollution and energy wastage. Road rage and
intolerance among the youth is growing and the elderly are under a constant
threat of being abused, disrespected and hurt by the burgeoning fleet of
vehicles moving on the narrow city roads.
Housing, the need for which is always there and the
demand becoming more than what is available, has become a gold mine of sorts
for all those who deal and prosper from it; by putting up structural
monstrosities, which are approved and fall extremely short of the desired
specifications, of both design and material. There is an unholy collusion
between the authorities and the builders, which is strengthened by bribes given
and received, without any sense of mortification or else compunction. While one
can understand the greed for money in those who live and breathe by its
motivation in business; it saddens both the heart and mind when those who must
abide more by the dictates of their conscience and check corruption, with the
might of their institutional authority and power vested in their office,
instead stoop reprehensibly, to line their pockets with ill gotten wealth.
Other than the country’s natural resources, which is being looted and plundered
for profit, real estate too has become the second largest wealth generator for
those who do deal in it and those who can illegally profit from it, by using
the state machinery. We yet again come to the “C” word, which has pervaded the
government and private sectors equally and become a ubiquitous phenomenon in
all walks of life and living in India
and Uttarakhand.
It is common knowledge that, huge sums of money
change hands for according approvals and completion certificates, between the
regulating authority and the builders. How do we put a stop to this, is the big
question? To expect something to happen from within the administrative system
is asking for the impossible and therefore putting to use the tools of RTI and
the Consumer Commission / Forums is probably the answer, which can partially
mitigate the sufferings of the people and the citizens. To add to this and
leverage the advantage in favour of the people who continue to be cheated by
the builders / developers, who work in a silent conspiracy of sorts with the authorities,
for handsome considerations; the print media is a potent and effective medium,
which should be prodigiously approached and used by all in a spirit of overt
solidarity and community living. The print media must claim this responsibility
and indulge those who knock on its doors, to open these and bring in the
sunshine to cleanse the grime of corruption in real estate. It is then and only
then that the huge potential of the media can be exploited to the hilt, to make
the sector more transparent and accountable.
Brigadier S D Dangwal
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